Africa-Press – Uganda. Seventeen of the hockey players that represented Uganda at last year’s Africa Cup of Nations in Ghana will fly to South Africa early in the new week for the continent’s Olympic Qualifiers in Pretoria.
The familiarity in the team means there is better understanding and a collective feeling of doing things better. Especially as they start the campaign against Nigeria, which humiliated them 10-3 in Ghana.
The Ugandan team, bankrolled by National Council of Sports (NCS), also know that the latter are watching and will need good justification for hockey to be included among Team Uganda’s disciplines at the All Africa Games that happen early next year in March.
What changes mostly for the squad is the new roles the players have taken up in their clubs. This could give coach Innocent Raskara options as his squad is short of specialist strikers with just veteran Thomas Opio and Brian Bayuule summoned.
Bayuule is an out-and-out striker for the national team but enjoys a free role in Makerere University where his combinations with Mathias Akanyihayo have earned the latter a place in the national team at the expense of Moses Tushabe.
Martin Okello takes on more utility roles for the Wananchi but was seen as a defender in Ghana.
Richard Ssemwogerere has played almost everywhere for Kampala Hockey Club (KHC) since playing as a full-back in Ghana. He was a goal getter last season and finished as joint league top scorer with Opio but has been fielded at the heart of defence this season.
Jordan Mpiima, who played every minute of the Ghana campaign in defence, has been more versatile both for KHC and in Italy while Alfred Agaba, previously a utility player for club and country, has majorly played in midfield since making a mid-season switch from Weatherhead to KHC.
OLYMPIC QUALIFIERS
Uganda’s Squad to Pretoria
Captains: Emmanuel Baguma, Bosco Ochan (GK) (Wananchi), Stewart Kavuma (Kampala)
Others: Richard Kaijuka (GK), Richard Ssemwogerere, Jordan Mpiima, Alfred Agaba, (Kampala), Brian Bayuule (Makerere University), Brian Okodi, Timothy Ntumba, Colline Batusa, Peter Walusansa, Maxwell Mugisha, Ashraf Tumwesigye, Solomon Mutalya, Thomas Opio (Weatherhead), Martin Okello (Wananchi)
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